Monday 19/05/03 to Tuesday 20/05/03
Cloud and patchy rain will slowly clear from the south-east towards midday, then most of England and Wales will have a bright period with sunny spells. Across Ireland and Northern Ireland, outbreaks of rain will become heavier and more persistent. Into the afternoon, this rain will spread into western Scotland and Northern England, with sunny spells following into Ireland. Blustery showers will develop however on strong westerly winds, and scattered showers will bubble up across the rest of the UK, some heavy with thunder. These will die out overnight and into Tuesday and many parts will dawn dry with sunny spells. Showers soon developing once more, heavy at times especially in the east towards evening. A small ridge will kill off the showers from the west in the afternoon, so turning fine for a time across much of Ireland. Overnight, cloud will increase however, as further fronts spread in from the Atlantic.

Wednesday 21/05/03 to Thursday 22/05/03
A dry, sunny morning across central and eastern parts, but from the word go cloud and rain will be spreading up from the south-west. Some of the rain will be on the heavy side, and it will reach all parts by evening. The far north of Scotland may just escape dry but with increasing cloud. From the Midlands southwards, cloud will break in the afternoon with sunny spells developing, but north of this skies will remain cloudy with showery rain from time to time. As WeatherOnline forecast last week, we are still expecting southern England and Wales to become warm by Thursday, with sunny spells lifting temperatures into the low 20's Celsius. In a band stretching from southern Ireland, through North Wales and the North Midlands however, fronts will grind to a halt. These will give overcast skies and further outbreaks of rain, where it will become rather humid. North of this, sunny spells and further showers, some heavy. Feeling cooler across Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Friday 23/05/03 to Sunday 25/05/03
There is uncertainty by the end of the week and into the weekend, as to the position of weather fronts over the UK. During Friday however, we are expecting the rain-band across central parts to ease further southwards, but not before southern parts has had another bright, warm day. Strong westerly winds elsewhere will drive heavy, blustery showers across remaining parts, and feeling much cooler here. Over the weekend, the warm weather will be squeezed out of southern parts, then all areas will experience cool west to north-westerly winds, possible gales around exposed north-western coasts. These will bring heavy showers, some with hail and thunder, and merging into longer spells of rain across Scotland. The best chance of staying dry will be in the south and south-east, where it will feel pleasant in the sunny spells.